Beginning with the 1996-97 season, the Patrick J. Kelly Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the ECHL.

History: Named in recognition of Patrick J. Kelly, one of the founding fathers of the ECHL.

Kelly served as Commissioner of the ECHL for the first eight seasons before being named Commissioner Emeritus in 1996.

Kelly celebrated his 50th season in Hockey in 2002-03, having begun his career with the St. Catharines Tee Pees of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1952. He played professionally for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, the Troy Bruins of the International Hockey League, and the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League.

Kelly coached in the Eastern Hockey League from 1965-73 and was head coach and general manager of Charlotte in the Southern Hockey League from 1973-76.

Kelly coached the Colorado Rockies in the NHL in 1977-78 and is the only coach to lead the Rockies to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Following coaching stops in the American Hockey League, Kelly went to Peoria in the International Hockey League where he led the Rivermen to the Turner Cup championship in his first season in 1984-85.

The ECHL is proud to recognize his distinguished career by naming its most coveted trophy in his honor.

Patrick J. Kelly inducted into the Peoria Sports Hall of Fame in February 1990. Kelly was inducted into the Roanoke Hall of Fame and the Sports Hall of Fame in his hometown of Welland, Ontario in 1998, and in March 2002 he became the first inductee into the Greensboro Hockey Hall of Fame when the Generals retired his uniform number (5).

Patrick J. Kelly was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2008.